Conference & Simultaneous Interpreting

Conference interpreting, also frequently referred to as simultaneous interpreting or UN-style interpreting, like normal interpreting transforms verbal communication from one language to another language, but it does this in real time or concurrent with the original speech.

In simultaneous interpretation, the interpreter renders the message in the target-language as quickly as he or she can formulate it from the source language, while the source-language speaker continuously speaks.

Conference interpreting usually involves simultaneous interpreting equipment. For large conferences a spoken language simultaneous interpreter, sitting in a sound-proof booth, speaks into a microphone, while clearly seeing and hearing the source-language speaker via earphones. The simultaneous interpretation is rendered to the target-language listeners via their earphones.

This is a skilled profession where the speaker does not pause for the interpreter. Due to the extreme pressure on simultaneous interpreters, performance standards usually include 2 interpreters per language.

Simultaneous interpretation is effective for large groups, conferences, conventions and seminars.